Black tank care - short term usage

[s1njin]

Hey all,

Question for you guys involving caring/using a black tank in short term use scenarios (2 night weekend stays with a month in between uses). Or, in my case, a short term stay followed by winterizing. Is there any difference in approach for those of us that empty out w/o giving enough time for anything to really break down? I do use the Walex Bio-Pak enzyme treatment/deodarizer which is supposed to digest waste in 24 hours, but I'm not sure if there is anything else I should be doing?

Oh, I also throw a cup of powdered Calgon down the black tank to keep the sides of the tank nice and slick (less waste adhesion to the walls/floor).

I use plenty of water when flushing, and I only dump when at least 3/4 full. I'll add a bunch of water to the tank if I have to in order to get a good flush going while I dump the tank.

Thanks !

[troutslayer]

I've had no problems doing that. Just use plenty of water (which you are doing)

[msturtz]

I recommend that you always leave chemicals in the tank when stored.

[s1njin]

So how should I store it over the winter? I was going to empty the whole thing and just put a bit of antifreeze down the toilet. Should I put a couple gallons of water, a Walex Bio-Chem Tab, AND Antifreeze?

[msturtz]

I would recommend using both. Keep in mind that it is more than your tank you are protecting. You are also protecting the plumbing downstream as well as the tank. The idea is to always have liquid water and chemicals in the tank. This will go a long way to preventing foul smells from accumulating in your tank. The other reason is it is nearly impossible to have a completely clean tank. If you have chemicals and water on the bottom of the tank you reduce the likelihood of stuck on waste in your tank.